Lost In The Shadows
by Emily Enid
Summary: My mother, was moving the family to Santa Carla, after a divorce with my father.
1. Chapter 1

I posted this once before, I had a lot of errors, so I took it down and I'm looking it over more closely. Also I'm clumping chapters together. It may not be perfect yet but I can't find anything wrong.

* * *

My mother, was moving the family to Santa Carla, after a divorce with my father.

My brothers are different from one another. My elder brother, Michael, drives a motorcycle, need I say more. My youngest brother Sam, is a fashion victim of too many afternoons in a mall. We also a dog, a large Malamute, Nanook.

I wasn't to different from either, mind you I tended to wear less colour, like Michael. But, I was into similar things to Sam.

The five of us are shoved inside of a beat up Land Rover. Most of our things in the U-Haul trailer were pulling behind us.

Sam, in the passenger seat. Michael, behind him Nanook half in the middle seat, half on top of me to look out the window.

"We're getting close," My mother told us trying to start a conversation.

Sam questions, "what's that smell?" with a slight grimace.

Mom breathed in, "ocean air," she told us happily.

The grin on her face died quickly. "Smells like something died," Sam told her. I gave Michael a quick look rolling my eyes. Before reaching over and poking Sam, shaking my head when he looked over.

"Awe, honey," Mom told Sam. "Look guys," Lucy started, getting our attention, "I know it hasn't been easy.." she started. "The divorce and now the move, but I think you are going to like living in Santa Carla."

My brothers looked unconvinced, so I quickly threw out, "I think so too." My Mom quickly threw a smile at the through the rear view mirror, I winked in return. Petting the head of Nanook.

"How 'bout some music." She asked reaching over to turn on the radio to some Country and Western station.

"Keep going," Sam told her.

She than finds a Easy Listening station, to which Michael states, "Keep going."

She next finds Donovan singing "Mellow Yellow."

All of us saying, "Keep going," in unison.

Our mother laughed, "Wait. Haight-Ashbury! The summer of love! 'Mellow Yellow.'

"Keep going!" We all rushed out.

We all laugh, or smirk in amusement, at that. Lucy then turned the dial to a current rock hit station and we all relaxed.

We round a corner showing the board walk, a large billboard. The billboard had the words "Welcome to Santa Carla" with a picture of the coast line.

As we pass Michael and I notice what was sprayed onto the back of the sign. "Murder Capital of the World." We share a look of questioning at one another.

We pull into a gas station. My brothers and I quickly get out followed by Nanook, who runs over to Sam. Michael walks off into the crowd, Sam and Nanook following suit.

My mom pumps gas into the Rover. I lean against it and look around, there were a lot of girls in bikinis, surfers, bikers. Other colourful locals.

Sam runs up to us, "Mom, there's an amusement park right on the beach!" He exclaims.

Surprisingly not catching anyone's attention.

"That's the board walk, Sam." She tells him, to which he quickly replies, "can we go now, huh?" pointing over at it.

"Maybe later. Grandpa's expecting us."

Shortly after Lucy says that she looks over at something. A sad expression shows up on her face, making us look over. Two runaway teenagers were rummaging through a nearby garbage bun for something to eat.

Sam and Lucy got distracted, as Michael rolled his motorbike out of the U-Haul.

He looks up, "I need to stretch my legs. I'll follow you."

The Gas Station attendant give my mom five dollars in change. She quickly hands it over to Sam. "Tell those kids to get something to eat." Sam runs over to them.

I look over at Michael as he starts his prized possession.

"Still mad at me?" Our mother asks him.

To which he replies, "For what."

Right as our mom finished saying "For everything." Michael roars his engine.

She quickly throws out, "If you want to check it out, and meet us later, it's okay,"

Which Sam hears and exclaims, "What? He _can _and I _can't_? No Fair!"

I raise my eyebrows at him. About to hit him over the head, before Michael says, "That's okay, Mom. I can see it later. I'll help you unload."

Lucy seems pleasantly surprised by Michael's display of responsibility.

We get back into the Rover, Michael ready to follow behind us.

As the runaways shout, "Hey, thanks lady."

Our mother tells them to use some of the money to call home. Then looks over to Sam and says, "Those kids look like me twenty years ago."

I quickly zone out as we pull out, and Sam replies. "When you ran away from home, hitch-hiked to Berk-"

* * *

And I was gone, day dreaming, of how life was now going to be like.

We travelled down a long winding road. We pull up to an old lodge-like home, owned by my grandfather.

Our Grandpa, is a rugged individualist. Wearing old denims, and Indian moccasins. Normally seen with a long grey braid down his back. He is lying lifeless on the front porch, only noticed by us as we approach.

"He looks dead," Michael stated.

"He's just a deep sleeper," Our mother told us as she walked up to him.

While I just stood back. smirking slightly and walked towards the U-Haul to start unloading.

"He's not breathing, mom." Michael told her, she became concerned and checked her fathers head.

"If he is dead can we move back to Phoenix?" I drop the box I'm holding and hit Sam over the back on his head.

"Sam, really, be more heartless, could you?" I mutter to him shaking my head in slight annoyance.

Before anyone else could say something to him, Grandpa opens his mischievous eyes.

"Playin' dead.." He told us, sitting up, "and from what I heard, doin; a damn good job of it, too."

I chuckle softly, as Michael and Sam exchange a look, and our mother, Lucy hugs her father.

The large outside of the house is still evident on the inside. Funky leather furniture, and Indian blankets. Michael carries in his barbells, with some clothing hanging on the ends. While Sam struggles with his mammoth collection of comic books. My mother and I carry in a box of clothing each.

"This is kind of a cool place." Michael says aloud.

"I'm so excited I just can't hide it." Sam deadpans, "I'm about to lose control and I think I like it."

As per usual I roll my eyes and softly kick his leg, just hard enough for him to feel it. Throwing a glare at me over his shoulder. I put my box down at the base of the stairs and continue to follow them.

"Will you give Mom a break?" I heard Michael ask him, as I was walking back to them.

Michael places his barbells down on the back porch, he pumps a few times for good measure.

"Grandpa doesn't own a T.V." Sam tells us, "Have you noticed? There's no T.V." He adds. I just roll my eyes at him, about to say something, but he continues, "Santa Carla has no malls. No Cineplex's and now I won't even have MTV. I will not know anything hip anymore."

"Hey," I say to get his attention, and stop his rant, "Sam, we're flat broke."

"Even poor people have T.V.s" He tells me, walking up the stairs with his box to claim a bedroom. Michael following after a few minutes later as a check out the rest of the house.

Before I too head up the stairs to find a room I look out the window. Nanook was dashing around discovering nature.

I reach the top of the stairs just in time to hear Michael. "I'll flip you for it," I smile, and laugh softly knowing what is about to happen.

I walked into the room just as Sam replies, "Okay."

Michael smiles, grabbing San suddenly and "flips" him upside down. Michael laughs. His tone dramatically changes when Sam reaches out and grabs a hold of Michael's crotch, squeezing hard. Michael quickly drops Sam, and I rush to back up and out of the way.

"Oww, you little shit!" Michael yells. Sam is out the door before Michael gets the last word out. Michael chases him, followed by me soon after, as I giggle in amusement.

As Sam gets close enough to the door he yells for out mother, "Help me, Mom. Help."

To which our mom replies, "soon."

Sam tears open a pair of old sliding doors. Running into a room filled with stuffed animals, all kinds of animals. Boxes of eyes, pelts, hides and wooden animal forms, also fill the room. In other words, all the equipment and necessities of a taxidermist.

Michael dashes in shortly after Sam, while I stop at the door. The boys staring in wonder.

The whole scene is weird, suddenly a voice comes from behind me.

"Rules!" Our Grandpa exclaims, making me jump, can't be to sure about the boys. "Got some rules around here."

As he walks away from the room, we follow.

Our Grandpa goes to the kitchen with us behind him and opens the refrigerator. Revealing a shelf with the words "Old Fart," on a cardboard flap.

"Second shelf is mine.." He starts, looking over at us. "Keep my root beer and double-thick mint Oreo cookies there.." he tells us, "Nobody touches the second shelf."

Grandpa closes the door as Michael notices something out the window. I look for what captured his eye, it takes me a second. As Grandpa heads towards the living room, Michael points to a small marijuana crop growing outside. Sam looks puzzled, until Michael makes a "joint smoking" gesture, which I just smirk at. Before following our grandfather.

"When the mailman brings the T.V. guide," He started, catching the attention of Sam. Who followed closely behind him. "on Wednesdays, sometimes the corner of the address label will curl up.." he shows us what he means with a guide in his hands,"Don't. You'll end up rippin' the cover and I don't like that."

He walks into his Taxidermy room, "..and stay outta here."

"You have a T.V.?" Sam asks hopefully.

Grandpa looks at him, "No, I just like to read the T.V. Guide. Read the T.V. Guide, you don't need a T.V." Than closed the door.

Sam's face drops, and I had to fight back my laughter.

* * *

After settling into our new rooms, and eating dinner. All of us, minus grandpa, crowded in the kitchen to do the dishes.

The radio is playing some hits from the sixties. "Land of a Thousand Dances" comes on and our mother starts to move to the music. She puts down her dish towel and starts to dance.

"This is how we used to do it. 'Pony Time'" She tells us.

Grabbing Sam by the hand she pulls him away from the sink, dancing. He copies her. In fact, he may be even more wild. Laughing, I follow suit and start to move. Nothing to crazy, just enough to be considered dancing. Mom, and Sam try to include Michael, but all they are doing is embarrassing him.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael, Sam, and I walk across the beach, passing by many burning bonfires. The board walk is crowded, I could see that from here. It's all strange and exciting for the three of us, as we walk towards the lively board walk.

Sam starts fussing with his messed hair, and trendy clothes. "You're beautiful," Michael tells him.

I don't hear Sam reply, getting distracted as we walk up the stairs near the bandstand. A loud rock group performs, a smile forms on my face, the crows and action is exciting. I find it difficult to keep up with my brothers as we walk though the crowd of young people. Right when I start to lose sight of them, Michael stops, followed by Sam.

I start to move my body to the music, interconnecting my hand with Sam's, and waving it between us. I don't notice that Michael's attention isn't on the band, but a girl, quite a beautiful one. Different from anyone else in the crowd.

When I do finally notice, we were on the move again, following as she leaves the area, her arm around the back of a little boy. I quickly ditch them, not wanting to be apart of the stalking, and go to find my mother, whom was looking for a job.

I walk through people, of many different colours and styles. Passed kiosks, and into stores, until I blindly walk into a bunch of boys while I was distracted.

"Sorry," throw out, but continued to walk, passing them. Unknowingly, passing my mother who was in the video store that they had just come out of. I eventually lost interest, and in that moment I saw my little brother Sam inside a comic book store.

"-we moved here," I heard my brother finish, as I walked up to him and two other teenagers. They were tough little dudes with cold eyes, fashion victims of too many Chuck Norris films.

"What?" I question my brother softly, as the boy in a red flannel walks to a self and grabs one. The other boy, in a dark green jumpsuit, acknowledges my presence with a slight nod. "Sam," I start to say something to him, before getting cut off.

"Take this," the one in red told my brother, handing him a comic. "Vampires Everywhere."

"I don't like horror comics." Sam told them, as I look outside of the store where a bunch of surfer nazi's were eyeing the place.

"It could save your life," jumpsuit boy told him, just before the surfers outside grabbed a comic and ran off.

"Get back here!" one of them yelled, "Hey! wait a minute, stop!" the other yelled as the ran out, following the shoplifters.

Sam looked down at the comic, "Put it back if you don't want it," I told him, but he held onto it and started out of the store, shortly followed by me.

Sam sees Michael still following her and pulls me behind him as he walks over to him. Just in time to see the girl get onto the back of the bike of one of the boys I walked into earlier.

"Come on, she stiffed yea'," Sam laughed.

As the boys were pulling away I tried to get a look at them, all wearing leather jackets. The one with the lightest hair, was seemingly the leader, rode in the front of the pack. Followed by another blond with long hair, almost twisted sister-ish. After him another blond, shorter hair, shorter then the rest of them, his jacket filled to the brim with patches, looking smug. Lastly, a dark haired one, long straight hair, wasn't wearing a shirt under his jacket, mysterious aura about him. On the back of his bike was the little boy I had seen earlier.

"Let's go find mom," I told him, grabbing both of my brothers forearms, once the boys were out of sight.

* * *

I leave the house mid-morning taking the old bicycle, that used to be my mothers, to the beach. My brothers would be joining me later on in the day. Our mother was already at work.

During the day the beach wasn't as busy, there was still room for me to set up a small area where I could sunbath. I had on thick sunscreen, I didn't need to worry to much about getting a sunburn as I relaxed.

Being on the beach was something I always missed about Santa Carla. We used to visit here all the time when we were younger, but we just stopped one year.

Listening to the waves, the people talking, and taking in the smell of ocean air, was something I loved.

I was never much of a water person, I'd go in to cool off, but never to swim. My brothers liked the water, so when they did show up,carrying surf boards that they had just rented I wasn't too surprised.

"Do I have to do this?" Sam asked Michael, not to keen on attempting to learn to surf, he wanted to loiter in a mall.

"Come on, Sam," Michael started, "you know before there were malls there was the ocean."

I smirked in response, and nudged Sam with my foot. "Go, it could be fun."

Sam rolls his eyes at me, before allowing himself to be dragged into the ocean, and out towards the waves.

Michael leans to "master" the art of surfing. He is athletic and it won't take him to long to get the hang of it. Sam, was a disaster, to put it nicely, giving up pretty quickly and joins me. We both watch Michael, along with the huge crowd that seemed to gather to applaud Michael.

Suddenly he wipes out, a surf nazi passes him by, "My beach, my wave, dude." I could hear him say through the noise of the crowd.

Not to long after this, we pack up, Michael and Sam and I headed home to clean up and change.

* * *

I left the house a while before Michael and Sam, I was craving the board walk atmosphere. being sure to remind Michael he was to drive me home. I walked there, and got to the movie rental store at the same time as my brothers. Sam leaps off the back of the bike, and Michael guns the engine.

"See you later," Michael told us.

"I get off in another twenty minutes," Mom told us, before Michael could take off, "I thought maybe we'd all get a bite together."

"I'll pass," with that Michael peeled off.

I looked down, "sorry mom, I already ate." I told her, looking up at her, "I'm sure Sam will eat with you, right Sam?"

I walked off before I could hear his reply, I wanted to go on the rides.

Before I can get to a ride, my eyes lock with a little boys, the same one from the night before.

"You okay?" I ask him, bending at the knees to be more his height.

He stairs at me for a while, starting to feel a little awkward I'm about to leave when he grabs a hold of my arm to get my attention back on him.

"I can't find Star," he told me, "I'm not supposed to leave her."

I nod my head, "the girl from last night?" I ask, to confirm my suspicions.

All I knew about these people, was that Michael happens to like the look of the girl. I wasn't sure why but I could never leave a child alone, even ones that I didn't know.

"I'm Elizabeth," I introduced myself, "I'll help you find her, if you'd like?" I offered.

"Laddie," he muttered, before pulling me off in a direction.

Assuming this meant he wanted my help, I started to look around for her. "We'll find her Laddie."

I held tightly to his hand, to make sure I don't lose him in the crowd we were walking through.

"The boys you were with are to the left," I told him, "I can't see Star though."

I see him nodding his head, pulling me slightly more to the left, and I continue to look around.

Laddie, stopped suddenly, and I almost walk into him. I look to see why we stopped just in time to catch the silent questioning of the blond leader with the little boy.

"Hi," I wave awkwardly at them, my grip of Laddies hand softened, "I was trying to help him find Star." I scratch the back of my neck.

"I'm David," The blondest one told me. "Paul," Twisted sister hair guy. "Dwayne," Dark and mysterious. "Marko," Patched Jacket.

"I'm," I started.

"Elizabeth," Laddie told them.

Laddie jumps onto the back of Paul's motorbike, with little help. "You coming?" He asks me, with a slight puppy dog face.

I don't know how to answer, I look at the face of the guys, "Uh," waiting for someone to give me some sort of look to inform me if I should or not. I bite the inside of my lip, about to tell him that I couldn't, when David, gave me a slight nod. "Okay."

I get pushed lightly towards Dwayne by Marko, and get onto the back of his bike, my arms loosely around his waist. as they start to drive, they make slight conversation with one another, seemingly talking in riddles. We stop, a few feet away from Michael and Star.

"Where you going, Star?" David asks her.

"For a ride." She tells him his arm on my brother, about to slide onto the back of his bike.

David's eyebrows raise, "With him?"

"Yeah," She replies, only for David to rev his engine, and her to stair at him.

He than introduces the boys to Michael. "I'm David," He started, "Marko, Paul, Dwayne."

My brother doesn't take his eyes off Star and David, if he had I know he would have said something to me.

"Laddie," I turn to Laddie with a smile, he was adorable.

"This is Michael," Star informed him.

Silence, Nobody makes a move, but they all shared glances.

My brother breaks the quiet, "We still going?"

Star almost gets onto the back of his bike, "Star," David called her, head slightly tilted to the side, his eye brows raised.

I tighten my arms awkwardly around Dwayne's middle. Star stops.

"Star," David said again, and she walks towards him and get onto the back of his bike, throwing a apologetic look over to Michael.

"Know where Hudson's Bluff is?" David asks my brother, "Overlooking the point?"

David guns his engine again, and my brother and I seem to get his meaning.

"I can't beat your bike," Michael says.

David looks at him intensely, "you don't have to beat me, Michael," seemingly looking into his soul, "you just have to keep up."

I make eye contact with my brother seconds before we all take off, my arms tightening even more. My hair flies around in the wind as we go faster and faster. I look back just in time to catch my brother riding his bike down the stairs to follow behind us.

We all pick up speed, heading for the pier at full speed. Thick wooden pilings making a hazardous obstacle course. I can hear my brother skid to slow down. the boy's do the opposite, increasing speed, threading the way between the pilings at breakneck speed.

My arms tighten even more, and I press my head as close as I can to Dwayne's back, as we execute turns. avoiding collisions in a ways that hardly seems possible.

I start to loosen up as we reach a beach, an area of gently rolling sand dunes. Bonfires burning along side the dunes. We sail off the edges of the dunes, flying through the flames of a bonfire, and land perfectly onto the beach. I join in with the whoops and hollars as they do this.

My brother is the last to do this. He speeds up and flies though the flames, hitting the beach and almost falling off his bike, but rights himself quickly. Star looks back at him with a smile, the lost boys give him approving looks.

When Michael catches up we continue to ride, my brother speeds past us, giving me a quick look as he does. When he gets close enough Star reaches her hand out to him, and Michael does the same, their fingers touch for a moment.

David turns to Michael, "now we race!" He shouts over the sound of the motors, and the wind.

David smiles, and speeds ahead. Michael takes off after him.

David streaks across the flat surface of the bluff, my brother not to far behind. I can't see to much of what they are doing, they getting to far ahead to see.

What I can see is the faint light of a light house, and the rear lights of their motorbikes through the fog. We pull up, just in time to see my brother skid off his bike almost falling off the edge of the cliff.

I worriedly rush off the bike towards my brother, only to be stopped with the gentle touch to my arm. I look to see all the boys calmly getting off their bikes, and laddie holding the fabric of my top.

I look back over to my brother, when I hear Star scream, "no!" as he throws a punch at David's face. Everyone falls silent, and I tense, before David surprises us all by smiling at Michael.

"How far are you willing to go Michael?" David asks him.

* * *

The "cave" was magical, David, Star, and Michael were the first to climb down the old condemned wooden stairs. I was sceptical, but followed suit due to the grip Laddie had on my sleeve.

The words, condemned and unsafe were on huge signs, old rusty pilings, on our way to the entrance in the rock. As I enter I could barely believe my eyes, a old rustic Victorian lobby greets me, few tiles tilted and broken, nearly intact. The front desk, wrought iron elevator, lobby mural where apart of the scene. It was like a hotel was built into a cave.

"-Big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took and header into the crack." I heard David finish, once my mind caught up with my body.

"So check it out, Mikey." Paul mocks, playfully.

Laddie was tugging on my sleeve, willing me to jump down and join the rest of them.

I jump down, about to help Laddie down, when Paul does it for me, "Hit rock bottom, bud." He says to him.

"Yeah," he replies before walking me towards a large fountain, walking around the edge pulling me behind him.

"Come on Michael. I want to go," Star told my brother holding her hand out for him to grab.

"No, stick around." David said.

"We were going to get something to eat." Michael stated, he attempted to go to Star before David talked more.

"Good idea," David started, before turning to Marko, "Marko, we're hungry."

Marko nods, and leaves.

"All you have to do is ask." He said, Paul than hands him a joint, "How about an appetizer?" he asks, offering the smoke to Michael.

I wasn't sure if he had taken it, music starts playing, distracting me. Paul had walked around the edge of the fountain base, and clicked buttons of the ghetto blaster. Loud, hypnotic music filled the space.

Dwayne gracefully moves with a skateboard underneath his feet. Paul make slightly erratic, yet sensual moves to the music. Laddie and I do little childish dances while continuing to make circles around the fountain. Everyone is mellow, dreamy.

"Where are you guys from?" Michael throws the question out, still seemingly chill.

"We're from right here." Paul answered, he didn't stop moving, but he did join Laddie and I.

Michael looked over to him, "I mean, where do you live?" He questions further.

"Right here." Dwayne informs him.

My movement halts at his serious tone, not sure what to do, Paul quickly grabs my hips. "Dance, babe." I hear this at the same time as another of my brothers questions.

"You live here? Your folks let you?" I roll my eyes at this and do as Paul told me. To me, at least, the answer was fairly obvious. especially with the tone Dwayne used.

Paul chuckles, "Is he talking parents?"

"What are they?" Dwayne joins in with the laughter.

David and Laddie laugh as well, but Michael looks confused. Star left the main area during this time, almost hiding behind a curtain that was hanging around what seems to be her bed.

"We do what we want, Michael." David states.

Laddie quits dancing at this point and leads me towards the couch Dwayne had set him self on. Paul following behind, only to land on the chair not to far from us. David was sat in a wheel chair. The music still playing, not as loud, and not as hypnotic.

"We have complete freedom," He continues, "nobody knows about this place, and nobody knows about us."

Michael looks interested, I see it, I'm sure the other do also. David moves the wheelchair closer to Michael.

"No parents, no rules." He smiles, "Hell, we're free as birds."

As Marko suddenly arrives carrying cartons of take-out, I mutter, "that would be nice," lightly.

The boys share I look I don't notice. Michael almost says something but gets interrupted.

"Chow time!" Marko exclaims.

David takes the cartons from him, "Chinese! Good Choice." He picks up a carton, pops it open and offers it to Michael, "Guests first."

Michael hesitates, "It's only rice," David tells him, "Don't you like rice? Three hundred million Chinese people can't be wrong."

As Michael takes the carton, David turns and hands the rest out to us, I thank him quietly, and open the carton, noodles. Yet again, I don't notice a smile shared between the boys, this time Michael doesn't either.

As we all begin to eat it gets quiet, even the music seems to be an almost dull noise.

"So, how do you like those maggots, Michael?"

I look up confused as David says this, noodles hanging from my mouth. I quickly suck them in as Michael asks him "what."

My brother look down and pauses a moment before spitting the rice out and throws the carton to the floor in revulsion. I get even more confused than, it was just rice. I assume it was some inside joke as all the boys, minus Michael stars laughing.

"Leave him alone," Star begs.

"Sorry, Michael," David apologised, but he doesn't seem like he meant it. "No hard feelings, huh?" He then offers a new carton, "Here. Try these noodles."

My brothers face twists into a disgusted expression, "Worms!"

"Worms?..." David tilts his head back and pours noodles into his mouth.

Michael grabs David's arm, "Don't! Stop!"

"Why?" David questions. "They're only noodles."

I shovel another forkful of noodles into my mouth, so confused by what my brother is on about. Michael looks baffled, and the boys laugh at him. As I'm about to ask my brother what he is on, Laddie leans against me, and I smile down at him, forgetting what I was going to do.

Star walks with purpose back into the room, "That's enough!"

The laughter dies down, a new song comes onto the radio, I assume it is a favourite of the boys, they turned it up loud. We all begin to move to the beat.

Once the song is over, David whispers something into Marko's ear and he leaves to grab what looks like a jewelled bottle of wine. I end up beside Michael at the same time Marko hands David the bottle.

David takes a long sip of the wine, closing his eyes to enjoy the taste. "Drink some of this," he said, tilting the bottle towards us, "be one of us."

Michael and I share a look, and he grabs the bottle, I can see Star whisper something to Michael, "Yeah, sure." he says.

Before he even takes a sip Laddie grabs my hand and pulls me away from it, to where Star back herself up to. As my brother takes a drink Laddie pulls me to the area of his "room," and lies down, pulling me beside him.

I can hear the boys chanting Michael's name, cheering him on. The dancing and music continues on, before it just stops, and I can see all the boys leaving the cave. I fall asleep, cuddled up to Laddie not to long after that.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry this took so bloody long. I was recovering from an illness.

* * *

I woke up to Laddie tightening his grip around my waist. It was quiet, all you could hear was the sound of waves hitting the cliff face, and Laddie's soft breaths.

I could assume everyone went to bed by now, not that I was sure what time it was. One thing I could tell just by looking was that it was still night, as no sun was shining through the opening of the cave.

I yawn and shift, to get into a more comfortable position, to fall asleep once more. Hoping that if Michael left without me he would at least tell Mom where I was.

Just as I was about to close my eyes, I noticed Star looking over at Laddie and I, from the couch.

I smiled at her, but got up and out of bed slowly, to not bother Laddie, as she gestured for me to join her.

"You shouldn't be-" Star started, but stopped in her tracks when the boys walked into the room.

Paul plopped down onto the couch beside me almost gracefully. "Star," David speaks softly, in a way that almost sounds like a warning.

Marko perches onto the arm of a chair and Dwayne walked towards where Laddie was sleeping.

"I didn't know you were still here," Paul broke the silence, "thought you had left."

"No, I-" I began.

"Slept with me," Laddie told him, proudly, while jumping onto the couch between Paul and I.

Dwayne sat stretched out in the chair Marko was on. David was in the wheel chair, Star had retreated back to her bed.

"Did Michael leave?" I questioned, once I noticed he wasn't with the boys.

David wheeled closer. "Shortly after you and Laddie went to sleep," he smirked as if he was thinking about something funny. "He had to of _fell_ into bed when we were down with him, **yesterday**."

"Oh," I nodded slowly.

Laddie grabbed my arm, "Wait, yesterday?" I questioned, "What?"

"Slept the day away." Marko stated.

Before I could reply David spoke. "Boardwalk anyone?" He got up, "I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

"I should probably go home," I said nervously, for two reasons. One my Mother must be worried to death; and two, well, David freaked me out with his statement.

"Aw," Laddie pouted, before pulling me behind him as we left the cave.

* * *

Paul dropped me off at home, "Thanks," I flashed him a smile before rushing into the house.

"Had it with the three of you, you know that," I heard my Mother tell Sam.

He looks at me wide eyed as out mom continues, "What is this mess?" I stand out of site Sam's eyes moved between the both of us while we listened to her.

"You spill milk all over the kitchen floor and don't bother to clean it up." She starts.

"Well, I didn't spill it mom," Sam told her after telling me to be quiet.

"I can't believe you people," she picks up the milk. "And the refridgerator door is wide open. What are you trying to refriderate the entire neighbourhood?" She rants, closing the fridge door and placing the milk carton onto the counter. "You know it's not fair, I would like to have a personal life too." She finishes, before looking around. "Where's Michael?"

"Well, I-He went to bed early mom." Sam lied, I wasn't sure why though.

"And Elizabeth?" She questioned.

Sam was about to answer when Grandpa walked in. "Hey there girly." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked us into the room with my Mother and Sam.

"Hey grandpa-" Sam tried to get the subject far from me when we saw the look in her eyes, but it didn't work.

"Where?" She questioned me.

"I was-" I started.

"No, you didn't come home-" Grandpa removed his arm from around me, and back out of the room slowly. Sam followed his idea only going upstairs rather than Grandpa's taxadermy room.

"Mom-"

"I have every right to ground you," she told me.

I looked down, slight put off.

"I had no idea where you were, I-you had be worried."

"Mom-"

"Just go- I can't look at you right now."

When morning came, Mom seemed to forgive me, she smiled and ruffled my hair as she passed me to get to the sunroom. I continued my sluggish walk into the kitchen throwing myself onto the chair next to Sam; whom shoved a glass of orange juice at my face.

I groaned, and downed it. Sam gave me a slightly off look, before shoving me when I stole a spoonfull of his cereal.

Michael plops down beside me.

"What did **you** do last night? You look wasted." Sam questioned him.

"I can't remeber much after the Chinese food that looked like maggots." Michael told him.

Sam gagged.

"Wait, but.." I was confused. "That didn't happen last night." I told him.

Sam looked over at us, having got up to grab more orage juice from the fridge.

"You don't suppose Grandpa's an alien, do you?" Sam changed the subject.

"What would that make Mom?" Michael pointed out.

Sam nodded looking off into space for a second. "You're right.. not to mention you and me."

I stare at Sam, "Hello, what am I? Chopped liver?" Sam looks almost sorry.

"Beat it Nanook." I look over at Michael when he says this.

Nanook was licking the bottoms on Michaels bare feet. Sam rushes over and pulls Nanook away, getting a closer look at Michael's feet.

"Did you spill something?" Sam asks him.

Michael looks confused. "No. Why?"

"The bottoms of your feet are covered with salt."

I got up and grabbed the dishes to wash them.

Michael gets up from the table and starts to leave the room. "I told you it was pretty weird Chinese food."

Sam jumps onto the counter beside me. "Wanna go to the comic book store?" He asks the both of us.

"No." Michael shook his head and went upstairs.

Mom walked in then, "I need to do some errands before work, anyone want to come?"

Sam and I look to one another and shrug. "Sure."

Since I was already dressed and ready, Sam told me to throw our bikes into the back of the truck.

After I did that I went into the back seats and fell asleep.

* * *

By the time, I woke up again, all the errands Sam and our Mom had to do were over, it was almost mid-afternoon. Mom dropped Sam and I off at the boardwalk, while she headed to work.

We pulled our bikes out of the truck, and cycled down the lane. Sam stops us and parks infront of theh comic book store.

"Wha-" I started to ask, before he pulled me into the store towards the two boys from last time. Well kind of, we passed them to the Batman section. The "Frog" brothers, Alan and Edgar, and my brother glared at one another as we walked by.

"How do you like Santa Carla?" The one named Alan asked.

Sam looked up from the comic books. "It's a pretty cool place. If you're a Martian." He told them.

This time Edgar spoke up, "Or a Vampire."

Sam and I share a look of disbelief, "Are you guys sniffing old newsprint or something?"

"You think you're cool, don't you?" My brother smirked, after Edgar said this. "You think you know what's really happeneing, don't you?" Edgar questioned. "Well, you don't know shit buddy."

Alan piped in, "Yeah, you think we just work in a comic book store for our parents, huh?"

"This isn't a comic book store, right. It's a bakery." Sam said sarcastically.

Edgar puffed out his chest, "This is just our cover. We're dedicated to a higher purpose."

"Now I get it... You're like those people in th airport trying to get you to give them money. You're part of a cult."

Now Alan and Edgar shared a look. "We're fighters for Truth, Justice, and the American Way."

I glanced back and forth at Edgar and Alan, blown away.

"You better get some fresh air." I told him, seeming stealing the words right out of Sams mouth if the look he is giving me was any sign.

Edgar reached behind him, and shoved a comic book at Sam's chest. "Hey, man, take this... It's on the house."

Sam looked down at it, Destroy All Vampires. "I don't like horror comics."

Alan scowled, "Think of this more as a survival manual... There's our number on the back, and pray that you never need to call us."

Edgar reached out and pointed at the number at the bottom left of the back cover.

Sam nodded sarcastically, "I'm gonna pray that I never need to call you."

Sam backed up slowly, grabbing my wrist to pull me with him once he realised I wasn't moving. Once out of the store Sam shoved the comic into my backpack, and took off without me, causing me to roll my eyes. I looked back into the store, before quickly grabbing my bike and taking off after him.

I lost sight of him fairly quickly, deciding to just park my bike and peruse around the board-walk. Walking in and out of stores until night, and the crowds came around.

While making my way towards where I had locked my bike up, I ran into Laddie and Paul.

"Hey pretty thing," Paul wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in a different direction. Laddie grabbing hold of my shirt followed him.

"Hey Paul." I looked down at Laddie, "How you doing?" I asked him running my hand through his hair.

"Elizabeth," I looked up sharply when David's voice showed up. I hadn't noticed that we stopped.

"Hi," I waved at the boys.

"How's Michael," David spoke up after a moment of silence.

"He's-" my face covered in confusions, "well you know," I shrugged, "weird."

A hidden smile broke out on the boy's faces. "Odd." Marko stated almost sarcastically.

I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly, look over at them, "where's Star?"

"Home," David told me.

Paul butted in, "Decided we weren't cool enough to be seen with." He told me with a smirk.

"She only just noticed?" I questioned jokingly.

I hung out with them for a while, eventually I ended up alone with Laddie, the boys having left to get a "bite to eat."

Laddie and I went on multiple rides, mostly the roller-coaster, his favourite. We stopped after the forth time on the coaster, to get some cotton candy, and play some games.

The boys had just shown up again as we played the water gun game, neither of us were very good.

"Hi," Paul smirked as Marko threw his arm around my shoulder.

Laddie yawned and grabbed a hold of my sweater. "Tired," he groaned, pushing his head into my stomach.

"Okay," I looked up at the boys, "Home?"

I looked back down at Laddie and has yet again missed a smirk that was shared by the Lost Boys.

* * *

"Not interrupting anything, I hope." David was glared at my Michael as he said this.

Star gestured to Michael's ear, "Look."

I quickly moved towards my brother. "You're almost one of us now, Michael," I looked behind me at David while he spoke, and walked into my brother.

"I'm my own man."

I had to hold my Michael's head still so I could look at his new piercing, "Mom's gonna kill you," I muttered.

David smiled, "Get your bike. We're going somewhere."

Michael looked over at Star. Laddie grabbed my hand and dragged me away, but I could hear David say, "Don't worry.. She'll be here when you get back."


End file.
